London-Based Kokoroko Release New Track Ahead of Debut

Ahead of their hotly anticipated debut EP on Brownswood, the London eight-piece have dropped the teaser track “Uman.”

Kokoroko are one of the most exciting acts on the London scene right now despite never having released an album. The reasons for this are twofold. Firstly, they have built a solid reputation for impressive live shows. “The 900-strong audience was floored by the band’s musical prowess and stage presence,” said the operations manager at London’s famous Ronnie Scott’s. Secondly, their part on the Brownswood-released We Out Here compilation, designed to showcase British jazz talent, succeeded all expectations.

Their contribution to this disc, “Abusey Junction,” now stands at 18 million views on Youtube, a far cry from numbers for similar videos. Centered around a seductive and moody opening guitar sequence, the song develops with afro-percussion, passionate horns and yearnsome backing vocals.

This song will feature on their upcoming EP as well as the latest release, “Uman,” a decidedly more up-beat affair, dropped two months before their self-titled debut is expected to come out on March 8. According to Brownswood, they channel “the greats of West Africa through a jazz-rooted approach.” Listen to “Uman” here: